How Should We Pray?

 

How do we pray at this time?

What do we ask of God?

Bearing in mind this COVID-19

Is affecting home and abroad?

We live in mortal fear

While ignorant of the outcome

And every day we ask the question,

When will it all be done?

But what do we ask God for?

What do we expect Him to do?

How do we pray at this time?

Can you tell me?  Can you?

 

Is this pandemic a punishment

For things we’ve left undone?

And when we have sorted that out

Will it then end its run?

Is it some things we have done?

Some atrocious things, perhaps?

And is that the reason why

We are encountering this mishap?

In the light of all the questions

How should we really pray?

As a matter of fact, I’d like to ask

Can prayer get us through the day?

If the answer you give is “No”,

Then what’s the use of praying?

However, if the answer you give is “Yes”,

What are we really saying?

Should we ask God to protect us?

And what if He does not?

Would that mean we are abandoned?

Could that be a believer’s lot?

How should we pray, I ask again,

In the light of all that’s happening?

Are we better than all the rest

For whom COVID is quite challenging?

My heart aches for Italy,

And what about those in Spain?

How can we watch the daily news

Without feeling their pain?

What is it we need at this time?

Is it powered packed prayers?

Is it prayer warriors and intercessors

To prayer saturate the atmosphere?

We place the emphasis on prayer,

As a matter of fact, people’s prayer,

As though some have a special gift

To take to the Throne our cares.

For fear of being castigated

I will hasten to the point,

That is, outside the Sovereign God,

To nothing all prayers amount.

So that it comes right down to trust

Trust is the bottom line,

Whatever the bitter outcome,

We must trust God every time.

  

Praise and thank Him always

Adore and extol His name

For even in the midst of COVID-19

Our Lord God still reigns.

 

 

I am not knocking prayer,

I am simply saying, trust God,

For whether the day be dark or bright

He is still the “All in All”.

Stewart Russell © March 2020

Football Enthralling Football

   

Football, football, O what gall!

Twenty-two players kick the life out of a ball

Ten up and down sweating profusely

One between the bars the team’s security.

These are bars that have no drinks

But their goalkeepers are critical links

They keep goal instead of minding bars

More often than not they are forgotten stars.

     

Compared to other games the ball is huge

It is kicked by the players any way they choose

Sometimes with the instep or the side of the boot

At times they fake the goalie before they shoot.

    

But let me start at the very beginning

Kick-off is when neither team is winning

Blow-off signals that the time has expired

The twenty-two players to the pavilion retire.

Two half sessions of forty-five minutes each

A referee and linesmen looking for any breach

Keep the players in check playing fair and square

Adhering to the rules of which they are aware.

The winning margin is decided by goals

The ball must pass the goalie within the poles

Some games are decided by penalty kicks

The shooter then tries a number of tricks.

     

The ball is placed on the penalty spot

As the goalie awaits the inevitable shot

Up runs the shooter and he fires away

The goalie dives trying to save the day.

Twelve players try to put the ball in the net

Six from each side for each there’s a bet

“Uh bet he score now, uh bet he does not”

“He better had cause he is the best we’ve got.”

After each shooter has had his one chance

One team’s reputation is further enhanced

The team with the most goals wins the game

Their points go up while the other’s remain.

  

Like cricket, football has its funny streak

That’s a banana kick commentators speak

Oh he tried the bicycle there some may say

Or the scissors may be done in another play.

In the former the ball is kicked over his head

In the latter he is parallel to the ground instead

Sometimes you hear he has volleyed the ball

At other times “trap it!” might be the call.

The referee blows the whistle to start the match

One of the teams kicks off from a central patch

Passing from one player to another they send

Trying to get the ball in at the other end.

The other team tries its hardest to intersect

Not giving any quarter until the ball they get

Suddenly the direction of the ball is changed

As the next team tries to get in shooting range.

The player shoots the ball but the goal is blocked

The goalie holds it in like an impregnable lock

“Lucky this time” some spectator calls out

“Next time not so lucky then our turn to shout.”

They dribble and pass; they block and trap

Another great save and a pat on the back

They slow the ball down then up their speed

As the game brings more and more intrigue.

The spectators argue who will win or lose

As one expects it’s their team they choose

But football can be a funny game, you know

And at the end some will say, “I told you so.”

Half time a team might lead two goals to none

And feel,  “No need to worry, we have it won.”

But quick as a flash the next team scores three

And the losers can’t believe what they now see.

The score line will tell it straight and plain

Two at half time is not the end of the game

Another half must follow and of equal length

Best to use the time to build back your strength.

It is never an easy matter to lose like that

It leaves the losing side feeling rather flat

But it was their fault; there are to blame

Feeling that half time was the end of the game.

Sometimes at the end the scores are the same

No team has won hence a draw is the claim

May be a scoreless draw, may be plenty of goals

When goalies have a hard time between the poles.

There are many tournaments local and overseas

Teams go overboard their best players to please

Some are valued at millions of dollars or pounds

And when they play thousands flock to the grounds.

In cricket the Caribbean had once ruled the roost

But in football they have never had such a boost

Nevertheless every one follows his favourite team

Brazil, Spain and Germany are among the cream.

Whether in a little village or at a stadium grand

Local, regional, especially the World Cup brand

Football, enthralling football is a fascinating sight

Bringing to its many fans much fun and delight.

Gifted with speech any football might exclaim

“You gain your satisfaction as a result of my pain

Your players you praise as the trophy you win

But not a thought for me, Football, isn’t that a sin?

Stewart Russell © 2013